Cheese Grater Magazine: Zine Editor

Hi Everyone!

My name is Disha and I am currently a second year BASc student. Throughout my time at UCL, I have always contributed to Cheese Grater and other UCL magazines and this year I am running for the Zine Editor. Grater Expectations is a great way for students to express themselves, talk about feminist issues they care about and showcase UCL's literary creativity. I want to continue the great work this Zine and the Journal have done so far and hold up its high standards, and I believe I am the right person to do this!

My previous writing and editing work includes working as a blog editor for UCL's Gen Fem and Climate Action Societies as well as writing for local Zines and newspapers. These experiences have taught me so much, especially collaboration with writers to ensure the submissions can reach their full potential! 

As Zine Editor, my vision is to continue the work of Cheese Grater and incorporate more elements to the Zine such as interviews, curations and reviews. Similarly, by continuing collaborations with other UCL societies, I aim to further these connections through more collaborative writing socials! However, my main goal as the Zine Editor will be to ensure that the zine flourishes and produces striking pieces, poetry and art which will have an impact on the student body at UCL. I am inspired and excited to take on this position and I hope you guys consider me for your vote!

Cheers x

My first experience with the zine was one of excitement. The discussions ranging from Virginia Woolf to Pussy Riot, alongside others’ personal feminist heroes, made me not only inspired to write (and re-watch Fleabag), but also empowered to learn and discuss intersectional feminism in all its glory. I was excited to speak about my experience in the patriarchy, but more importantly to hear others’ thoughts, stories and book recommendations.

The zine to me embodies a creative and collaborative resistance to patriarchy; the diversity of writers and experiences explored is central to the zine’s beauty. By expressing the nuances of life through the lens of intersectional feminism, the zine builds both confidence when writing and validates the discussion of our experiences. Its multimedia approach combining art with written pieces, alongside the variety of genres covering poetry to humour, makes the zine even more captivating.

If I were to become editor, this is what I would champion. By emphasising the zine as a friendly community, I feel writers would gain useful perspectives and courage to write about issues that resonate with them. I would hope to provide useful insights when planning pieces, giving helpful and constructive edits. By organising events with other societies and holding discussions at our meetings, I would want the zine to become more than just the words on its pages; it would become a beautifully diverse community founded on intersectional feminism.

The Zine and Cheese Grater have both allowed me to be more confident in my writing and learn a lot about myself, so it feels natural for me to stand for this position! I have written for all the issues and I am also an active member of the Investigations part of the society, which has provided me with plenty of experience and skills for the role. The Zine is very important to me as an intersectional feminist, and I believe it has plenty of potential to develop and grow. I would like to possibly help in creating a zine-feminist themed podcast which would promote more engagement with the publication. I would love to give all my time, knowledge and effort to contribute more in the society and the Zine<3.